I am sure I have said this before and I am going to say it again, buying foundations is my weakness. This time I splurged (thank you to a gift voucher I received for my birthday) on the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation. I remember KathleenLights mentioning it as one of her favourite foundations for dry skin. Usually the foundations she recommends also work for me as our skin tone and type is pretty similar, so I thought why not?
The Becca foundation retails for $72 AUD, so I thought adding in my review would be helpful especially since it is so pricey. On the Australian Sephora site it comes in 7 shades: fair, light, beige, medium, tan, dark golden and deep bronze. However, in store I noticed there was an 8th shade - porcelain. I picked it up in the shade fair, even though light had better undertones to suit my skin it was a tad dark and it oxidises slightly once it dries down making fair a better option.
So, what does this $72 foundation claim to do?
It is "a flexible, liquid foundation made from pigments that blur and perfect to reflect your skin tone."
The coverage "feels ultra-light and buildable, while it evens and perfects your complexion. Every weightless drop of fluid imparts subtle luminosity that blurs imperfections and leaves a soft-focused glow. The foundation features a curated array of flexible shades that flatter all skin tones."
"For flawless results, shake well before each use to ensure that the pigments and luminisers blend perfectly."
It is also formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates.
BEST FOR:
Normal, normal to dry, dry and very dry skin types. If you have combination or oily skin they recommend you use their matte primer and a finishing powder. Based off my experience, unless you are willing to play around with the foundation and blot, I would steer clear if you have oily skin.
The glow isn't too much on my dry skin and makes my skin look very healthy. I also find I don't need to powder, but again my skin is quite dry so there aren't any oils coming through.
SWATCHES:
This swatch was taken when I had my summer tan, hence why it looks so light for my skin tone. It is a better match to my winter shade however, it is not 100% as it has slight pink tones in it too. When it was on my face (selfies below) I wasn't as tanned as I am now so you can kind of tell I am a little more yellow than the foundation shade. Since it is a sheerer formula I am able to look past this though!
THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
Before I forget, this foundation is a water-based foundation so it works best when paired with water-based primers and not oil.
Despite it being weightless and ultra-light the coverage is there. If you've read my skin diaries and have seen my bare skin you will know I have quite a bit of redness to cover. In one sheer layer it evened out my skin tone and I was able to build it up on my cheeks which achieved a medium coverage that literally looked like my skin.
The foundation is quite undetectable on the skin however, it can cling to severe dry patches. Especially if you are silly like me and burn your forehead in the sun which results in it peeling. I think any foundation or product would cling to that sort of dryness/flaky skin though. It didn't emphasise the dryness from old acne scabs and it smoothed over my fine lines. Because of this, I would also recommend the foundation for mature skin types as it is super hydrating and luminous so it won't age the skin in any way.
If you don't like a pretty intense dewy look to your skin then you won't be a fan of this. For someone that looks dehydrated nearly every time makeup is applied I appreciated the dew and healthy appearance this gave my skin. Some review I read mentioned that the foundation settled into pores but I don't have large pores so that wasn't a concern for me. If you do then maybe keep this in mind or pair the foundation with a pore filling primer.
Personally, I'd only layer this foundation twice on my dryer skin type because I can see how it could cake up. Since my acne is already quite dry from tea tree oil or other treatments, applying too much product will only emphasise that. With two layers I achieve decent coverage without it looking cakey. If I do require a full coverage I would reach for a concealer rather than continuously layer on foundation.
The best way to apply this foundation is to use a brush. A sponge would soak up a lot of the product as it is water-based. It can take a little while to properly buff it into the skin but when you do it will look very natural. I am able to wear this foundation on its own with no other makeup and it just makes my skin look fresh and hydrated.
A slight downside to the foundation is that it does dry a shade or two darker than when it is first applied. It isn't too drastic but if you are thinking of buying this foundation try a shade lighter than what you would normally be and see if that dries down to your perfect shade. Like I mentioned above, the shade light was almost perfect for me but when it set it was too dark.
Lastly, I have barely have issues wearing this foundation during the heat. Sweat can make it look ever so slightly cakey which is why I don't really suggest it for oily skin types, but there are ways to combat this. The heat can make it look even more glowy so a little powder will be beneficial on these days.
I will attach an image of a 37 degree day when I wore this foundation. I was outdoors for part of it and I think it held up pretty well.
As you can tell in the third (most realistic as it is by a window) photo, it offers a very natural finish to the skin and lets your skin peak through. Despite my acne and redness it really does even out my skin without looking like I've applied foundation.
PACKAGING:
The foundation comes in a similar package to their backlight priming filter. It is encased in a frosted glass bottle and a bronzey lid. This foundation doesn't come with a pump like other foundations do, it has a dropper which can sometimes get the opening pretty messy. I don't love nor hate the application because I like applying it straight to my skin with the dropper but I do need to be careful not to get too messy with it. It is a unique idea but it can be hit or miss for different people, based off your own preferences.
I find the appearance of the foundation to be very luxurious which is what you would expect for the price. Also, you get 30ml of product, similar to other foundations.
Since the Becca Backlight Priming Perfector (review here) worked so well with my skin I did have high hopes with this foundation. I am glad the $72 wasn't a waste because it is a lot of money. I would suggest you try a sample before purchasing just to ensure it works with your skin and you like the glow it gives.
The Becca foundation retails for $72 AUD, so I thought adding in my review would be helpful especially since it is so pricey. On the Australian Sephora site it comes in 7 shades: fair, light, beige, medium, tan, dark golden and deep bronze. However, in store I noticed there was an 8th shade - porcelain. I picked it up in the shade fair, even though light had better undertones to suit my skin it was a tad dark and it oxidises slightly once it dries down making fair a better option.
It is "a flexible, liquid foundation made from pigments that blur and perfect to reflect your skin tone."
The coverage "feels ultra-light and buildable, while it evens and perfects your complexion. Every weightless drop of fluid imparts subtle luminosity that blurs imperfections and leaves a soft-focused glow. The foundation features a curated array of flexible shades that flatter all skin tones."
"For flawless results, shake well before each use to ensure that the pigments and luminisers blend perfectly."
It is also formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates.
BEST FOR:
Normal, normal to dry, dry and very dry skin types. If you have combination or oily skin they recommend you use their matte primer and a finishing powder. Based off my experience, unless you are willing to play around with the foundation and blot, I would steer clear if you have oily skin.
The glow isn't too much on my dry skin and makes my skin look very healthy. I also find I don't need to powder, but again my skin is quite dry so there aren't any oils coming through.
SWATCHES:
This swatch was taken when I had my summer tan, hence why it looks so light for my skin tone. It is a better match to my winter shade however, it is not 100% as it has slight pink tones in it too. When it was on my face (selfies below) I wasn't as tanned as I am now so you can kind of tell I am a little more yellow than the foundation shade. Since it is a sheerer formula I am able to look past this though!
THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
Before I forget, this foundation is a water-based foundation so it works best when paired with water-based primers and not oil.
Despite it being weightless and ultra-light the coverage is there. If you've read my skin diaries and have seen my bare skin you will know I have quite a bit of redness to cover. In one sheer layer it evened out my skin tone and I was able to build it up on my cheeks which achieved a medium coverage that literally looked like my skin.
The foundation is quite undetectable on the skin however, it can cling to severe dry patches. Especially if you are silly like me and burn your forehead in the sun which results in it peeling. I think any foundation or product would cling to that sort of dryness/flaky skin though. It didn't emphasise the dryness from old acne scabs and it smoothed over my fine lines. Because of this, I would also recommend the foundation for mature skin types as it is super hydrating and luminous so it won't age the skin in any way.
If you don't like a pretty intense dewy look to your skin then you won't be a fan of this. For someone that looks dehydrated nearly every time makeup is applied I appreciated the dew and healthy appearance this gave my skin. Some review I read mentioned that the foundation settled into pores but I don't have large pores so that wasn't a concern for me. If you do then maybe keep this in mind or pair the foundation with a pore filling primer.
Personally, I'd only layer this foundation twice on my dryer skin type because I can see how it could cake up. Since my acne is already quite dry from tea tree oil or other treatments, applying too much product will only emphasise that. With two layers I achieve decent coverage without it looking cakey. If I do require a full coverage I would reach for a concealer rather than continuously layer on foundation.
The best way to apply this foundation is to use a brush. A sponge would soak up a lot of the product as it is water-based. It can take a little while to properly buff it into the skin but when you do it will look very natural. I am able to wear this foundation on its own with no other makeup and it just makes my skin look fresh and hydrated.
A slight downside to the foundation is that it does dry a shade or two darker than when it is first applied. It isn't too drastic but if you are thinking of buying this foundation try a shade lighter than what you would normally be and see if that dries down to your perfect shade. Like I mentioned above, the shade light was almost perfect for me but when it set it was too dark.
Lastly, I have barely have issues wearing this foundation during the heat. Sweat can make it look ever so slightly cakey which is why I don't really suggest it for oily skin types, but there are ways to combat this. The heat can make it look even more glowy so a little powder will be beneficial on these days.
I will attach an image of a 37 degree day when I wore this foundation. I was outdoors for part of it and I think it held up pretty well.
PACKAGING:
The foundation comes in a similar package to their backlight priming filter. It is encased in a frosted glass bottle and a bronzey lid. This foundation doesn't come with a pump like other foundations do, it has a dropper which can sometimes get the opening pretty messy. I don't love nor hate the application because I like applying it straight to my skin with the dropper but I do need to be careful not to get too messy with it. It is a unique idea but it can be hit or miss for different people, based off your own preferences.
I find the appearance of the foundation to be very luxurious which is what you would expect for the price. Also, you get 30ml of product, similar to other foundations.
Since the Becca Backlight Priming Perfector (review here) worked so well with my skin I did have high hopes with this foundation. I am glad the $72 wasn't a waste because it is a lot of money. I would suggest you try a sample before purchasing just to ensure it works with your skin and you like the glow it gives.
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